I seem to remember a JFK-theme/costumed Shakespeare on PBS years back – a teleplay sort of format, with an RFK like Brutus and an LBJ like Cassius. Always thought that was pretty styling (and I mostly like JFK)

Was the lead character a spray tanned nincompoop? ridiculous comb-over? tiny hands? twitter addiction? Jibberjabbers? No? Oh he’s a white guy… funny how the right always seems to be like precious snowflakes when the slightest provocation sends them into apoplexy if their sacred ox gets so much as scratched (see example of the 2012 ‘obama-like’ caesar production). It’s Julius Caesar! Did you skip english class that week?

From the photos I’ve seen, the Caesar character is indeed modeled after Il Douche, from the hair to the stupid long tie. What conservatives really object to is not that the character modeled on on this real-life “President” is assassinated (as you note, they had no problem when the character resembled Obama) but that the character modeled on this real-life “President” is one of theatre’s archetypal populist demagogues.

“Julius Caesar” played in modern dress often portrays the eponymous character as a gangster or a fascist, and conservatives complaining about this production are just uncomfortable with how well this portrayal fits in with both traditions.

They’re within their rights to pull funding over the portrayal, though judging by the Obama figure in previous versions there seems to be a tradition for doing such things in the past. So it’s no surprise and doesn’t fall into the “bad taste” that Delta and BoA are pointing out.

Julius Caesar:
Had military experience
Had government experience before taking high office
Confronted vested interests in government
Expanded Roman citizenship to foreigners
Expanded the welfare state
Increased regulation on financial transactions
Undertook infrastructure projects

Many earlier productions of “Julius Caesar” have indeed modeled the title character after previous Presidents including Lincoln, JFK, Nixon, Reagan, GWB and Obama with little or no public outrage. I guess it’s true that Trump supporters are easily offended snowflakes.

Also: this is a play about how assassination leads to the downfall of a great Republic. If anything the central message is that violence against political leaders is a recipe for ruin, so don’t do it.

Julius Caesar:
Had military experience
Had government experience before taking high office
Confronted vested interests in government
Expanded Roman citizenship to foreigners
Expanded the welfare state
Increased regulation on financial transactions
Undertook infrastructure projects